Legendary NJ Runner and Coach Jack O'Leary Has Passed Away

Jim Lambert


The New Jersey track & field and cross-country community lost a true icon this week with the passing of Jack O'Leary, who died Tuesday at the age of 79. O'Leary is pictured above on the right with his longtime time friend Al McCafferty.

A legendary runner, transformative coach, and revered mentor, O'Leary's impact on the sport in New Jersey spans nearly six decades

A member of multiple Hall of Fames, O'Leary's resume stacks right up there with the very best we have ever seen in our state, both on the track and off it.


BEFORE HE BUILT CHAMPIONS, HE WAS ONE

It all started back in the early 1960's when O'Leary (pictured in the middle) became a star distance runner on the loaded Essex Catholic teams under legendary coach Fred Dwyer. As a senior in 1964, O'Leary ran a then state record 4:16.3 in the mile at the 1964 Federation Championships at Highland Park. He also ran the fastest splits for Essex Catholic's 4x800 squad that broke the national record and won the National Interscholastic Indoor Championship!

From there, O'Leary went on to Villanova University, running for legendary coach "Jumbo" Jim Elliott. In 1966, O'Leary was part of Villanova's first NCAA cross country championship team in Lawrence, Kansas!

COACHING 

After graduating from Villanova, O'Leary became an XC and track and field assistant coach at Roselle Catholic under famed coach Frank Gagliano, who went on to coaching stardom at Georgetown. 

After one year at Roselle Catholic, O'Leary returned to his alma mater for five years, replacing Dwyer, who left to begin a storied career at Manhattan College. At Essex Catholic, O'Leary led his teams to two State XC Championships. 

ON TO MORRIS HILLS

O'Leary was then hired in 1974 to take over as head coach at Morris Hills, where he put together an amazing 27 year run.

During his tenure at the helm at Morris Hills, O'Leary's teams were among the best in the state in all three seasons.

In cross country, the Scarlet Knights won eight Morris County titles, several Iron Hills Conference crowns and 
10 sectional titles (1975-1977-1978-1984-1985-1990-1993-1995-1997-1998).

From 1975 to 1977, his XC teams captured three consecutive Group 3 state titles and his teams qualified for the Meet of Champions seven times, finishing in the top 10 each time. Only twice in 27 seasons did O'Leary's Scarlet Knights finish with a losing dual-meet record-an almost unthinkable statistic in the rugged landscape of the Iron Hills Division. Even his 1985 squad, which went 2-7 in dual meets, captured a state sectional crown. That was O'Leary: never defined by a number without context, never willing to let a season's record tell the whole story.

O'Leary's 1975 XC team was his best, missing winning the XC M of C title by a single point to Morris Catholic, a result that helped reshap the method used for scoring. At O'Leary's urging, officials adopted the displacement system that is used today, removing runners who ran for non-scoring teams from the scoring.

As indoor track and field coach, the Scarlet Knights won four county and county relay titles, numerous IHC championships and were many times contenders for state honors.

During the spring, the Scarlet Knights won the 1977 Morris County Championships with one of the strongest teams in Morris County history, and O'Leary also led the Scarlet Knights to four Morris County Relays titles. The Scarlet Knights also claimed many individual honors in conference, county and state competition. While O'Leary is probably best known for the success of his distance runners in all three seasons, the Scarlet Knights were successful in all areas, sptints, hurdles, throws and jumps. 

O'Leary coached several all county and all state runners, most notably Bob Siehl, who won the NJ XC Meet of Champions title in 1976, and he got to coach his sons, John and Tim.

JACK AND AL

After stepping down as head coach at Morris Hills in 2001, O'Leary continued coaching as an assistant at Morris Hills before later revitalizing the program at Donovan Catholic along with Al McCafferty, his teammate at Villanova. The two college buddies coached at Donovan Catholic from 2003-09, winning multiple county, and state titles across all three seasons, and coaching several athletes to school record setting performances.

IT RUNS IN THE FAMILY

The O'Leary name will always be synonymous with NJ track and field and XC, and is very present when you look around the state.

O'Leary's grandson, John O'Leary (John's son) is a senior at Allentown and is one of the top distance runners in Mercer County, and Tim's twins, Jack and Elizabeth, are big stars at Toms River South. Jack, a junior, won the Ocean County XC championship this past fall, and Elizabeth won the discus at the Ocean County Championships last spring, was second in the county shot put championships this season, and is also a soccer star. She's is coached by her dad, Tim, the girls' throwing coach at Toms River South.

And Jack's brother, Mark, put together a Hall of Fame career during a remarkable run as the Head Coach at Toms River South!!

   

TRIBUTES

Current Drew University coach Sean Robinson, who had a great run of his own at Morris Hills after taking over as the head cross-country coach after O'Leary stepped down, said he wouldn't be where he now without O'Leary

"Jack was ahead of his time and he could just flat out coach,'' said Robinson. "I learned more about coaching XC/TF in Smith's Tavern in Rockaway from him than any other track coaches clinic or conference I have attended to this day. His teachings of having 'Fire in the Belly', tactical positions during hard racing and accountability will continue on throughout the entire XC/TF programs at Morris Hills.  When I get in a tough spot in coaching, I will ask myself, "What would Coach O'Leary do with this." Jack greatly loved his sport and devoted much of his life towards the betterment of the sport while helping young people reach their dreams and goals. This was a huge loss for our NJ XC/TF community but his legacy will live on through us.''

Al McCafferty said,  Jack represented the transition between the coaching of Jumbo Elliott, Frank Gagliano, and Fred Dwyer and today. I coached against and with him and learned the many nuances of New Jersey high school track and field from him. He will be missed.''

Villanova Hall of Famer Dave Patrick, another great friend and college teammate of O'Leary's, said, "For the record book, Jack O' Leary was a member of Villanova's 1st ever NCAA cross country team championship and Jack epitomizes all that was good in a teammate and later as a coach - passion-team first- and a trustworthy spirit that made you want to be his friend.'' 

LEGACY

O'Leary is a member of the Essex Catholic, Morris Hills and Donovan Catholic Hall of Fames!!! He served as President of the Morris County Track Coaches Association, helping transform it into one of the state's strongest organizations. He earned service awards, coach-of-the-year honors, and-more importantly-the enduring respect of his peers.

The opening meet of the indoor season at the Drew Winter Series is named the Jack O'Leary Lid-Lifter!

Jack O'Leary taught generations how to compete with integrity, how to prepare with discipline, and how to finish what they started.

His legacy cannot be measured in just wins and losses, but more so for the lives of the thousands of footsteps that followed his.

While Jack O'Leary may have crossed the finish line of life, his impact and his legacy of greatness will live on forever!